Ministry recruits 5000 NP youth

By Ananda KANNANGARA

The Vocational and Technical Training Ministry will recruit over 5000 unemployed youth in the Northern Province for their next round of vocational and skills development training programs, scheduled to commence at 20 vocational training centres, from next month.

The programs are conducted under the Government's Nagenahira Navodaya' concept and the Ministry has received Rs. 1125 million under the US Aid program to construct new training centres, and also to purchase equipment in the North. A recent survey revealed that a large number of youth in the recently liberated Ampara, Kaluvanchikudi, Trincomalee and Ninthavur are awaiting to follow skills development and vocational training programs with the objective of working here and abroad.

The consultant of the Vocational and Technical Training Ministry, Anura Fonseka told the Sunday Observer that during the year 2008, about 4000 youth in the Northern province followed vocational courses such as carpentry, building construction, electrical work and motor mechanism. He said 18 LTTE suspects who are in state detention camps have also obtained numerous skills development programs at Ministry training centres last year.